


Please sign your name on the dotted line

by lesbianbean



Series: you want the world/well what's it worth? [2]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, American Politics, Childbirth, Gen, Military Backstory, Odd Friendships, One Night Stands, Political Backstory, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rallies, Rule 63, The DJD are a weird family, Trauma Recovery, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, domestic terrorism, one part campaigning one part revenge play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:06:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22457689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianbean/pseuds/lesbianbean
Summary: Megatron tells herself "don't ever be afraid." When that advice inevitably fails, she settles for "don't ever let anyone know."
Relationships: Megatron & Soundwave, Megatron/Impactor (past), Megatron/Starscream
Series: you want the world/well what's it worth? [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1110879
Comments: 16
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Emetophobia cw for this chapter

The first thing Megatron knew was the ceiling was stark white. She couldn’t remember much from before—voices, blood, flashing lights—but it felt like she was trying to make it out through thick fog. _Impactor_ , she thought. _Where—_

“Good, you’re awake.” Megatron turned her head—it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds—to see who was sitting by her bed. Her blood froze.

“Prime.”

“That’s ‘Defense Secretary Prime’ to you. Or ‘Sir.’ I don’t really mind which one.”

The shades were drawn, but she could see silhouettes passing by the hospital room window. If she could just—Megatron struggled to get out of the bed but she couldn’t move. There were restraints around her arms and legs. She looked for the button she could press to summon the nurse, but it was on a table, out of her reach. 

“Calm down. You don’t want to make your injuries worse. Don’t worry. There are plenty of agents here for your protection.”

“I’m not—”

“It’s a miracle that someone found you before you bled out. As it is—” She patted the bed right next to Megatron’s knee. Megatron gritted her teeth against the pain. “—the doctors don’t think your knee will ever be the same again. A shame. You were one of our best. Now we’ve lost you and your partner.”

“You bastard.” Megatron choked on the words. “Don’t you dare—”

“Oh dear.” Sentinel stood up, patting her shoulder, and Megatron felt her entire body lock up.

“Don’t you fucking touch me.” 

“Anger is a normal part of the grieving process.” 

“I’ll kill you—” Megatron could barely get the words out. “I swear, one day, I’m going to destroy you, you piece of—”

Sentinel’s placid expression didn’t change, but something in her eyes hardened. She jerked her head at one of the stone-faced soldiers flanking the hospital room door.

“I’ll be going, but I wanted to thank you for your sacrifice in person. It was nice to meet you, Megatron.” She pulled a handful of photographs out of her pocket, threw them into Megatron’s lap, and then walked out of the room. One of the guards pulled the door the rest of the way shut. 

Megatron looked at the pictures before she could stop herself and nearly threw up. The first one was of the hold of the ship after the explosion. The next was of Impactor’s body. Megatron could just see a glint of the silver chain she wore around her neck. There was a faint smudge on her forehead where Megatron had pressed her lips in the last seconds they’d had together. Her hair was matted with blood.

“No.” Her voice cracked, and she could feel stupid, useless tears brimming in her eyes. 

“Oh, shut up.” One of the guards walked over to the bed. Megatron instinctively tried to sit up, but she couldn’t. The restraints held her still. She sucked in a breath, but before she could scream, his hand was over her mouth, pressing her down onto the bed and silencing her. The guard pulled a syringe out of his pocket, and Megatron knew she was going to die. Unable to stop anyone, unable to even move, even after everything she’d done to get away from the explosion, even after she’d given up her last moments with Impactor. She knew there were tears on her face, even though she’d tried desperately to hold them back.

And then there was a sudden commotion out in the hallway. The guards both looked over at the window in confusion. And then the door burst open and Soundwave rushed in, followed by two concerned looking nurses and a member of hotel security. “Megatron!” She glared at the guards. “What the hell is going on here?”

“Ma’am, you’re not supposed to be—”

Soundwave gave the guard a terrifying glare, and even though he was nearly a head taller than her he balked. “I am sorry, could you say that again? And speak clearly, please. I know several reporters who are just dying for an update on how this injured veteran is doing.”

The guards shifted uncomfortably. “Ma’am, we were told—”

“I do not care what you were told. I am telling you that you need to leave. Now.” She stalked over to her bedside, jostling one of the guards out of the way. “Megatron, are you all right?” Megatron stared at her in shock. Soundwave’s concerned expression momentarily shifted into something more like a glare, and Megatron got it. She needed to play the part.

“I’m fine.” Her voice sounded hoarse. She could use that. “Really. Please don’t be worried, I don’t want to upset your baby.”

The guards shifted uncomfortably. “Listen, we weren’t briefed—

“Good god.” Soundwave ran a hand through her hair. “No one briefed you about this? Who are you working for? I want their name, because I am going to have serious words.” She paused. “Do you mind passing me that?” She pointed at the wastebasket in the corner of the room. One of the guards handed it to her. His irritated expression quickly morphed into disgust when Soundwave noisily threw up in it, exhaled shakily, and then threw up again. “Would either of you gentlemen happen to have a mint?”

One of the guards cleared his throat. “Why don’t we give you some space?” 

The door closed behind them and Soundwave’s face went stony. She sprayed some breath freshener into her mouth and then plucked a kleenex off Megatron’s side table and wiped off her face. “Soundwave—” Soundwave held up her hand to silence her, and then gestured with her chin to the corner of the room, mouthing _bugs._ Megatron nodded. Soundwave turned on the television. A local news story was playing, complete with cheesy background music, and Soundwave tuned up the volume before sitting down next to her and sliding a pen and piece of paper under her hand. 

“Status?” Her lips barely moved. 

Megatron tried to write. Her shoulder was throbbing. _Impactor gone._

Soundwave pressed her lips together. “I assume your place is compromised.” 

Megatron nodded, writing _Yours?_ on the paper. 

“I am not—”

A trill played from the television and they both jumped. 

The television cut back to the main anchor, a white guy who looked both grim and excited to be covering something other than the pandas at the National Zoo’s current sexual dysfunction. “Sorry to interrupt, Sharon, but we’ve just had some breaking news!” Soundwave and Megatron looked at each other, and then back to the television. The anchor continued. “A gas leak has destroyed an office building in Dupont Circle. Three people were injured, one is in critical condition, but so far there have been no confirmed deaths...”

Megatron gave up on the paper and turned to at Soundwave, wincing at the pressure it put on her neck. 

“Ravage?”

Soundwave was still staring at the television in shock. It took a moment for Megatron’s words to sink in. She blinked. “Negative. He is in my car. Safe.”

“The files?”

“Those were in my office.”

Megatron looked at the television without really seeing it. “We need to go.”

* * *

Soundwave didn’t react when they drove by the burned-out shell of her office until Ravage made a soft noise in the backseat. “No, darling.” She tutted softly, reaching over her shoulder to stroke his head. “I am sorry.” 

There was a Marriott two blocks down the road and Soundwave pulled into the parking lot. 

“Here?” Megatron stared out the window. 

Soundwave shook her head. “Yes. You wait out here. I’ll be back soon.”

Megatron sat awkwardly on a bench outside the hotel, with her crutches propped against the bench and Ravage’s cat carrier next to her. She wished she had a cigarette. Or a notebook.

_The cheap army cot creaked. “What are you doing?” Impactor propped herself up on her elbow._

_“My notebook fell off the bed.” Megatron’s hand grazed the spine and she grabbed it off the floor. “Here it is.”_

_“God, you and your fucking poetry.”_

_“Don’t knock my poetry. Have you read the_ Song of Achilles? _I honestly feel like it captures the nuances of war better than any one of the movies in theaters right now— ”_

_“Come here, nerd.” Impactor wrapped an arm around Megatron’s waist, pulling her down on top of her and grabbing for the notebook. Megatron held it out of her reach._

_“You know, Impactor, you weren’t calling me a nerd ten minutes ago. If I recall correctly, you were moaning like a tramp. ”_

_“Fuck you.” Impactor grabbed the notebook. “Ha!”_

_“Give it back!” There was a scuffle that Megatron was about to win, but then the cot collapsed. Their heads knocked together._

_Someone banged on the wall. “Quiet down, idiots!”_

_“Fuck off!” Impactor reached over Megatron’s shoulder and punched the wall. Megatron used the moment of distraction to grab her notebook back. “You’re paying for this, Megs.”_

_“You started it!”_

“Megatron.” She snapped back to reality. Soundwave was standing in front of her, inscrutable as always. 

“What now?”

“Now we call a cab.”

Three hours later, the cab dropped them off in front of a nondescript diner. It was almost one in the morning.

“All right.” Megatron turned to her, her crutches scuffing in the parking lot dust. “Where are we, and why?”

“A diner. The owners know me. And it is open twenty-four hours.”

Megatron couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this tired. “You think pancakes are the solution?”

“I know that we will be safe to regroup here.” Soundwave removed her glasses and looked directly into Megatron’s eyes, and Megatron felt chastised. “This is what I do, Megatron.”

They slid into a velor booth. The menus were a little sticky but the table was clean, and no one side-eyed Ravage, even though Megatron doubted there were pets allowed.

“Soundwave!” The waitress flashed her a smile. “How far along are you?”

Soundwave didn’t smile back but her expression warmed slightly. “I am three months along. Thank you.”

“Well, I have a Green Kiwi smoothie with your name on it. And will your client be having anything?”

“Coffee.” Megatron remembered the hours she had spent working as a waitress years ago in the same city. She couldn’t find it in her to smile but she managed to give the waitress a nod. “Please.”

“All right, coming right up.” She bustled away and Soundwave turned to Megatron. 

“Now you tell me what happened, from start to finish.”

Megatron stared at the menu. “She knew everything. The mission—you were right, it was a setup. We were in the hold of the container ship when half the crew turned on us. They started shooting, we ran for cover and then there was an explosion. Blew off Impactor’s legs. I got it too but not as bad.” She paused. “She was protecting me. I would have been killed.” 

_“Oh god.” Her knee was throbbing and she knew it would hurt later but it didn’t feel like anything. “Oh god. Impactor, stay with me, okay? Just—” She reached for her belt, even though she knew a tourniquet wouldn’t do much—there was so much blood and she’d seen enough injuries to know when someone was going to die._

The waitress returned with their drinks. Soundwave nodded in thanks. Megatron took the mug, holding it in both hands without drinking it. “We managed to barricade one of the side areas. Everyone was screaming, there were bullets flying, and I thought we were done for. I was trying to tie off Impactor’s legs and she was yelling at me to jump out of the porthole. I said no, I wasn’t leaving.”

_“This isn’t fucking optional!” Impactor grabbed her wrist. Her grip was strong, despite the blood loss. “One of us is getting out of here, and it’s gonna be you.”_

_Megatron yanked off her coat and draped it over what remained of her legs. “No! Not without you.’_

_“Goddamn it Megs, if you don’t go now I swear I’ll kill you myself.”_

“We yelled at each other for what felt like ages but was probably only a minute.” Megatron continued, staring into her coffee mug.

_“Go.” Impactor’s voice was hoarse, but her eyes were serious. “I’m already dead. You know that. Go. Get out of here.”_

“I gave her my gun.” Megatron swallowed hard. Her throat felt tight. 

_Impactor squeezed her hand. “Remember what I told you before.” Megatron bent down and touched their foreheads together, just for a moment, breathing the smell of her lemon scented shampoo, and then kissed her. She could taste blood on her tongue._

_“Impactor.”_

_“Go now.”_

“I hit the water.” It had been cold as ice and so dark that for a moment she didn’t know what way was up. “I heard gunshots.” She took a gulp of coffee, nearly spilling it. It took her a moment to realize why—she was shaking so badly that the utensils on the table were rattling.

“Megatron.” She couldn’t meet Soundwave’s eyes. But there was no pity in the other woman’s voice. “You have experienced a horrific trauma. A reaction to that is not a sign of weakness.”

“Are you ladies ready to order?” The waitress was back. Megatron didn’t look up from the table. 

Soundwave nodded, drawing the waitress’s attention to her. “The smoothie is excellent.” 

“I’m so glad. I added some ginger, just in case you’ve been having any problems with nausea—my sister had morning sickness like you wouldn’t believe.” 

“You have my gratitude.” 

“I take it you’d like the usual?”

“Yes.” 

“Wonderful.” She turned to Megatron. “Is there anything I can get you?” 

Megatron didn’t know what to say. Soundwave cleared her throat. “Can you get her some toast with bacon and eggs?”

Megatron shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”

“When did you last eat?”

“I don’t—”

Soundwave turned to the waitress. “Put it on my tab.” 

The waitress smiled at Megatron. “Listen, I’ve watched Soundwave in action. She’ll get you out of whatever jam you’re in.”

“Thank you, Sev.” After she left, Soundwave turned to Megatron. “The flashdrive you had—”

Megatron shook her head. “—Corrupted by the water. Useless.”

Soundwave nodded. “My notes, my documents—everything we’d been building up for the last year—it is safe to assume they have all been destroyed or they are in Sentinel’s hands.” It was what Megatron expected, but it was still a punch in the gut to hear. Everything they’d worked for, everything Impactor had died for— “However.” Soundwave opened Ravage’s crate and lifted the kitten out. Ravage purred. Soundwave scratched behind his ears and reached for his nametag, detaching it from his collar and sliding it across the table to Megatron. Megatron picked it up. A computer chip. 

“It is obviously not everything. Not all the evidence. But it contains a list of the laws Sentinel and President Trion have broken. The network they have set up. How they operate.”

Megatron held the chip up to the light. “So we go to the press.”

“I am not sure if that is the wisest move.” 

Megatron stared at her incredulously. “After everything—everything that these people have done, everything they’ll do, are you seriously saying we should just lie down and let them off the hook?”

“Negative. What I am saying is we cannot go to the press with this and receive the outcome that you desire.”

“Explain.”

“A story of this nature requires multiple sources, on the record. Your word will not be enough to confirm allegations as drastic as these. This chip does not have the evidence that will be necessary to back it up. If there is a story, it will take months to construct and write, and as soon as a reporter is put on it, they become a target. And so do we. I have handled cases like this before.” 

“What do you suggest I do?”

“I can get you in touch with someone who will set you up with a new identity and a residence in another country. You can leave the chip with a journalist and hope for the best—they might be in less danger if they are not directly tied to you.”

“No.”

They were both silent as the waitress brought their orders. “Megatron.” Soundwave folded her hands in front of her. “I will likely be able to negotiate you an honorable discharge. If you are to publicly go against Trion’s administration, that will disappear. They will do everything they can to destroy your reputation and any legitimacy you might have.”

“That’s not what I’m thinking.” 

“What are you thinking?”

“I want to take them down from the inside.”

“Megatron, your time in the military is over. You can’t really think—”

Megatron shook her head. “Not from inside the military.” 

“What do you—” Understanding crossed Soundwave’s face. “Oh. All right.” She shifted Ravage off of her lap and onto the booth next to her and pulled her laptop out of her briefcase. “Okay.”

“I’ll go to Texas. I have—” She stopped for a moment, thinking of her mother’s funeral. “I can work from there.”

Soundwave interrupted Megatron’s thoughts. “All right. Our flight to Texas leaves in two hours. It is the quickest one I could get on short notice.”

Megatron looked up from her toast “Our flight?”

“You did not believe I would be going with you?”

“No, I just...Soundwave, you’ve already done enough. You’ve done more than enough. They—they bombed your office. I can’t ask you to do—”

“You are not asking me. I am telling you.” Soundwave stroked Ravage’s head. 

“Why? This—it’s going to get ugly, Soundwave, I don’t want to put you through this.”

“Megatron.” Soundwave pushed her half-finished omelette aside and fixed her with a piercing stare. “Listen to me. You are not the only one who wants more justice in this country.”

“But you—” Megatron gestured at Ravage’s collar and Soundwave’s laptop. “You know this so much better than I do. Why would you help me instead of just running yourself?”

“There are many different kinds of people in Washington. Some, like you, want to be the person who makes the decisions. Others, like me, want to be the person that that person depends on.” Soundwave stroked Ravage’s head, and he purred. “It was never my intention to be a fixer in Washington forever.”

Megatron reached across the table, taking Soundwave’s hand in her own. Soundwave looked at her, startled. “You won’t regret this. I promise, we’re going to succeed together.” 

Soundwave nodded. “I would not be working with you if I believed that was not to be the case.” After a moment, she squeezed Megatron’s hand. “I will not let you down.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Campaigning in Texas and settling old scores. All in a day's work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick overview. American politics here operates on a three-party system with the Solidarity, Liberty, and Functionist parties. The Solidarity Party is the one that leans the furthest to the left, the Liberty Party is primarily aligned with the center-left, and the Functionist party leans to the right. I’ve thought a lot about the alternate history behind the AU, if you’re interested in learning more about it, please let me know.  
> Content warning for domestic terrorism and white nationalists

Soundwave had been pouring over her laptop for almost an hour, seemingly unaffected by jet lag. Megatron tried twice to interrupt her, and both times Soundwave shot her a look, pointing at the stack of briefings that she’d instructed Megatron to read. Finally, she looked up. 

“There are some things we need to discuss.” 

Megatron pulled off her reading glasses. Her knee was throbbing. “All right. What kind of things?” 

Soundwave spun her laptop around. On the screen was a picture of Texas, with an area highlighted. “This is District 23, where you are running.”

Megatron felt a twinge of irritation. “Yes, Soundwave. I’m aware of that.” Soundwave didn’t respond, just raised an eyebrow. Megatron felt as if she had been severely chastised. “Continue, please.”

“Currently, the representative is from the Liberty party.” She tapped the screen, showing a white man in a dark blue suit. “He is well-funded. But I do not believe you will have trouble beating him.”

“Why?”

“This district is a swing majority-minority district. While your opponent from the Liberty Party is well funded, he is also an old white man. The candidate from the Functionist party is a young white man. You are a young--” Megatron snorted. “--younger than average Latina war veteran. And you are charismatic. The Solidarity Party will be ecstatic to have you as a candidate.”

“If it’s so easy, why does this district currently have a Liberty Party representative?”

Soundwave folded her hands on the table. “Two years ago, President Trion was elected with an impressive margin of victory. This election correlated with the Janus vs. AFSCME Supreme Court decision, which undercut the ability of unions to fundraise. As a result, the Solidarity Party was decimated. Currently, the Functionist Party has a majority in the Senate. The Liberty Party and the Solidarity Party are sharing control of the House. Recently, there have been some shifts on the political stage, however. The Functionist tax bill and Trion’s continuation of the war are not popular. I’ve also noticed that there’s been an upward trend in party donations. The Solidarity Party has an opportunity to possibly retake at least control of the House.”

Megatron took a sip of her coffee, zooming in on the picture of the district she was running in. “Why aren’t we thinking bigger?” Soundwave sighed. “Don’t sigh at me. I’m serious. We could be doing so much more than just partial control of the House.”

“We could, if we had more solid party infrastructure and leadership. Suggestion: eat a whale one bite at a time.” 

* * *

Shortly after Megatron arrived in Texas, she showered off after an hour of unsatisfying shooting practice and went to a bar she’d frequented years ago. She wasn’t sure why, exactly, except that she ached for some kind of easy connection. She noticed a tall woman in a military jacket watching her across the bar, and she considered it, but something about it felt too raw, after Impactor.

A young woman caught her eye after an hour—square hipster-ish glasses and blue locs and a vest made out of denim. Megatron bought her a drink, and they talked. She was from New Mexico and she was studying library science at the nearby university, Megatron learned. 

They went to a motel nearby and Megatron fucked her. She was sweet—nothing like Impactor—and she willingly agreed to have her hands tied to the headboard. Her lipstick tasted like strawberries and she smelled like violets.

* * *

Two months after their arrival in Texas Megatron and Soundwave were eating takeout and going over her schedule when a massive crash rattled the house. Megatron was out of her chair the moment she heard it. Soundwave looked startled, but Megatron wasn’t. She’d been expecting it. “Where’s Ravage?” Soundwave snapped her fingers and Ravage poked his head out from under the couch and jumped into her lap. “Okay. Good. Both of you get down. Wait for me to come back.” 

She soundlessly walked down the short hallway to the bedroom, her gun held in front of her. This house still felt unfamiliar--Soundwave had found it for her and she’d put down a year’s rent mostly so she would have a base for operations she couldn’t run out of her campaign office. Megatron rounded the corner into the bedroom, tensing in anticipation, but no one jumped out at her. So, whoever it was, they weren’t stupid. She did a quick scan of the room and the adjoining bathroom. Empty. But there was a brick on the bedroom floor, surrounded by broken glass. 

There was a motel five miles down the street owned by a former associate of Megatron’s. “We waited tables together,” she murmured to Soundwave as they pulled into the parking lot. “I took care of a customer who was bothering her.” Their room was old, but clean, and on the second floor, which made it safer. Megatron yanked the curtains shut and wedged a chair under the doorknob. “We should be safe here tonight.”

Soundwave sat down on one of the beds. “Was it just a brick?”

“There was a note.” Megatron shrugged. “Boilerplate stuff. I don’t belong in this country, neither do you. I’m a filthy traitor to American values. They’re going to kill me, they’re going to kill you, and they’re going to fuck us up before they do it.” She bit her lip, hearing her mother’s voice in her head. _Don’t swear. You know what people think of you when you get angry._

“What does this mean?” Ravage climbed into Soundwave’s lap and she stroked behind his ears. Her expression was neutral, but Megatron noticed her hands were shaking a little. 

“Are you all right?”

“Irrelevant.” 

“Soundwave, as long as you’re working with me, you’re safe. I promise, nothing is going to happen to you, or Ravage, or anyone else in your family.”

“I know these things can happen.”

Megatron reached into the bag she’d hastily packed, pulling out one of the cheap untraceable phones she’d bought the day she’d gotten back to Texas and a scrap of paper she’d tucked into one of her jacket pockets. “Well, it’s not going to happen again without us hitting back.” She dialed. Three rings later, her contact picked up.

“Hello?”

“It’s me.”

“Megatron.” Their voice was like silk. “How are you?”

“Tarn, do you remember how you said I could call you someday when I felt like cashing in that favor?”

“Yes.” 

“It’s someday.”

* * *

Tarn and the other members of Defense and Juridical Dynamics were all immaculately clad in different colored tailored suits, except for a short man who Tarn introduced as their “medical expert,” who wore a light blue polo shirt.

“It’s been too long, Megatron.” They inclined their head to Soundwave. “And you must be the fixer that Megatron told me so much about? I admired your work managing that case involving those hacked texts.”

Soundwave held out her hand, and Tarn shook it. “Observation: you did your homework.”

“You’re pretty well-known in Washington. It wasn’t hard.”

“If I am well known, I am not doing my job right.” 

“You’re well known to the right people.” Tarn’s eyes crinkled like they were smiling, although the mask they wore over the bottom half of their face made it difficult to tell. “Trust me. Anyway...” Tarn gestured at the other DJD members, who had sprawled out on the motel couch and the two ratty armchairs. “This is my crew. Everyone, introduce yourselves. And be polite. These are people we care about impressing.” 

“Zdravstvuyte.” The blonde woman on one of the armchairs waved. “Privet menya zovu Vos” 

“Vos is Russian, and never shuts up about it.” The speaker was wearing an orange suit with dark glasses and she carried a long white cane with a pattern of branching lighting printed on it. “I’m Kaon, by the way.” 

“And I’m Helex.” Helex, a tall well-built woman, sat between an equally well-built woman and the medic. She had lines tattooed over her face, and when she waved hello, Megatron saw she was missing a finger. “I’m the muscle.”

“Bullshit.” The woman in red snorted. “I’m the muscle. You couldn’t scare a spider.”

“Hey!”

“That’s Tess, or Tesarus,” the medic said. “And I’m Nickel.”

“If you call me Tess, I’ll kill you.” 

“Understood.” Megatron nodded. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all.” She sat down on the end of one of the motel beds. “I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re in Texas right now?”

“Whatever reason you have, I’m sure it’s a good one.” Tarn perched on the arm of the sofa. “You call, we’re here.”

“Someone threw a brick through my window with this attached.” Megatron handed Tarn the note. “I need to know who this someone, or someones is. And I need to know how to stop them from doing it again.”

“Define ‘stop them.’ ” Tarn steepled their fingers together. “We could--”

“I don’t want you to take any steps just yet. Find them, find out who they are, and then get me a full report.”

Tarn nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Soundwave didn’t speak until the DJD had filed out to the minivan they had rented. 

“What are you thinking, Soundwave?”

“I am thinking that you must have a plan.”

Megatron studied her face. “Look, if you have questions, you can ask me.”

Soundwave removed her glasses and looked directly at Megatron. “If I had doubts about you, I would not have gotten on the plane to Texas.”

Megatron stared at her. “Soundwave...”

“Statement: we are going to win this election. Furthermore, we are going to make the people who did this pay.”

“How are you sure?”

“If I have learned one thing in Washington, it is that believing that you can do something is ninety percent of the battle.” 

* * *

_“Good evening.” Megatron cleared her throat. “Thank you all for coming out tonight. I hope you have all enjoyed today’s state fair.”_

_The crowd was silent. Megatron looked out at their faces and felt a moment of the choking, all-consuming panic that she felt the night in the hospital. These people weren’t the people from the military. They didn’t know her, or what she wanted, and why should they care?_

_Two men were standing in the back of the crowd, and for a moment Megatron’s blood froze. They were the same men from the hospital room. She wondered if Sentinel had sent them, or Trion, or if they had decided to come on their own._

_Soundwave gestured at her from offstage, pointing at her forehead. Megatron remembered the trick that she had mentioned earlier--look at people’s foreheads, not their eyes._ Come on, she told herself. Pull it together. 

_“I’m--my name is Megatron.” She paused, and then realized there was no reason to. “I wanted to talk to you about something that affects us all.”_

* * *

Megatron’s house was chilly in the evenings, the product of the cardboard nailed to the empty window frame. She could hear Helex and Tesarus talking quietly outside, and smell the Cuban cigars that Helex liked. The rest of the campaign staff had gone home for the night. Megatron, Soundwave and Tarn sat in the kitchen. Tarn had brought a binder with them. 

“Have you ever heard of Men’s Enduring Cultural Heritage, or MECH?”

Megatron snorted. “Yeah. I’m familiar with their work..” She remembered a group of white men with shifty eyes sitting in the diner where she worked as a high schooler who hissed expletives at her and tried to trip her whenever she was carrying something hot. 

Tarn nodded. “Anyway, they were behind the brick and the note.”

Megatron and Soundwave traded a look. “It didn’t have anything to do with Sentinel Prime?”

Tarn’s mask obscured their expression but Megatron suspected they found the question somewhat funny. “Listen, Megatron. I think Soundwave will agree with me here. If Sentinel Prime wants to hurt you, she’s not going to mess around with bricks.”

“Deduction: Accurate.” 

Megatron nodded, thinking about the men who she kept seeing at her campaign events. “Okay. What do you two suggest my next steps should be, moving forward?”

Tarn sat back in their chair. “Vos has a list of MECH leadership and most of their local members. You go through the list with a highlighter, tell us who you want...” They fired an imaginary headshot with a finger gun. “...problem solved.”

“Negative.” Soundwave shook her head. “Megatron, this course of action opens you up to an enormous array of political problems. Murder is not a feasible campaign solution.”

Tarn’s eyes glinted over their mask. “These people are the scum of the earth. They--”

“Suggestion.” Soundwave’s voice was icy. “Tarn is not informing me of a reality I am not already aware of.”

“Soundwave--”

“Megatron, permission to recommend another course of action?”

Megatron nodded. “Permission granted.”

“Allow me to research other politicians in the area influenced by MECH and similar organizations. We will support their opponents and provide protection against similar incidents. We break their hold over institutions and we also break their hold on power.”

Tarn rolled their eyes. “That doesn’t do much for the immediate problem.”

“Tarn, do you have any idea what will happen if Megatron is connected to the murder of multiple people? She won’t get elected dog catcher.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, would you rather--”

“Both of you stop talking.” Megatron folded her hands and pressed them to her mouth for a moment, thinking. Then she sat back in her chair. “Here’s what we’re going to do. Tarn, you are going to make that member list public. Make sure everyone who even vaguely knows those people knows that they moonlight as white nationalists. Especially the leadership. We aren’t going to go any further yet. Soundwave--”

“Yes, Megatron?”

“Get me a list of those politicians. If they don’t have someone running against them, we find someone. We’re going to clear these bastards out.” 

* * *

_“You might not have seen me around here before. Well, I was born here, but when I was nineteen I went up to Annapolis, to join the military.” She saw some nods in the crowd. “I wanted to take care of my mother, and I wanted to help this country. The country I love. I believed in the American values we were all taught in school.” She swallowed. Her mouth was ridiculously dry. “Freedom. Justice. Equality of opportunity..” This is what I believe in. And I know you all believe in this as well.” Megatron squeezed the edges of the podium, letting the sharp edges dig into her hands. “You grew up with these values, and you teach them to your children. They are what led to people like you organizing strikes, protesting violations of our constitution, and fighting tooth and nail not just to have a seat at the table, but to turn it over.” Murmurs rose up from the crowd, and Megatron held up her hand, thrilling when the crowd fell silent. “But I’ve learned another value that it seems a lot of the people currently in power seem to rely on more.” She paused for dramatic effect. “Deception.” More murmurs._

* * *

There were more, after the first girl. Not too frequently, just when the campaigning and the policy briefings and the death threats from anonymous numbers wore her down and she wanted relief that shooting targets couldn’t provide, and. Her partners were always smaller and softer than her, and agreed willingly to Megatron making the calls. Most of them weren’t involved in politics--one girl ran a flower shop, another worked as a mechanic. And for the most part they were kind. Being with them felt like an escape. 

Impactor would have laughed at this, pointing to it as more proof of the “control issues,” that she had always claimed that Megatron had. But Megatron couldn’t think about Impactor.

_“Hey babe.” Impactor flopped down on the motel bed next to her. The jolt made the bed groan dangerously. “Whatcha reading?”_

_“Das Kapital.”_

_“Nice. You wanna smoke?”_

_Megatron looked up from her book. “This room is non-smoking.”_

_“Yeah, but I opened a window.”_

_“This motel is run by a family, I’m not going to make them clean up after us.”_

_“What does Marx say about this?” Impactor put her chin on Megatron’s shoulder, angling the book so she could better see the words. “What the fuck, Megatron?”_

_“I bought the original version. I’m worried that the meaning will get lost in the translation to English.”_

_“When did you even learn German?”_

_“A German expat lived in Annapolis one summer when I was working there. I got him to teach me the basics.”_

_“God, you’re such a woman of the people.” Impactor rubbed the back of Megatron’s neck. “Oh, look at me, I learned German while I was waiting tables.”_

_Megatron sighed condescendingly. “Do you want me to read it to you?”_

_Impactor chuckled, swinging her leg over Megatron’s waist and scooting backwards so she was straddling her. “How ‘bout we see how long you can read out loud without getting…distracted?”_

Impactor had never been afraid of being dominant, but when it was her, Megatron never minded. She had known Impactor better than anyone she had ever known before, and she knew that even if she was gagged and blindfolded and bound hand and foot Impactor would keep them both safe. 

Anyway, Impactor was dead. And when Megatron was alone in the bedroom in her new house and she tried to think about Impactor’s hands or her the two of them crowded together on a narrow cot, her mind inevitably swerved down a darker road-- to the hospital bed, the restraints around her arms and legs, and the guard’s hand over her mouth. She wasn't ever going to feel 'normal' again, Megatron thought one night as she stared at the pale green shower tiles. 'Normal' had been stolen from her.

* * *

“I just got off the phone with Terminus. She wants to meet with you.”

Megatron didn’t look up from her briefing. “Why would the leader of the Solidarity Party want to meet with me?”

“She saw your speech.” Soundwave reconsidered. “Well, not just her. Since we posted it online twenty-four hours ago, it has been viewed over two million times.”

That got Megatron’s attention. “Are you serious?” 

“Yes. Always.”

“That’s—why did you even do to make it go viral like that?”

“I am good at creating marketable videos and soundbites, Megatron. But I have never seen this kind of response. It is an indication of what I suspected about you.”

“What did you suspect?”

“That you are someone worth following.” Soundwave said matter-of-factly. “All right. You need to get going to that labor meeting.”

“Are you coming?”

“Of course.” Soundwave stood up from the living room couch. “Do you have—” She put her hand on her stomach, confusion flashing across her face. A dark stain was spreading across her beige pants. 

“Soundwave. Did your water just break?”

“I believe so.” 

Megatron’s blood froze. “Let me get Nickel. We’ll both take you, I’ll cancel the meeting.”

“You will do no such thing.” Soundwave glared at her. “I am having twins, not bleeding internally. Nickel is on his way. He will drive me to the hospital, you will go to your meeting and go over the points I laid out for you, and we will see each other soon.” 

“Soundwave—”

“I am your campaign manager. You might have written the platform, but I make the schedule.”

“But I—” Megatron cleared her throat. “Listen, you’re—I don’t have many people left, Soundwave.”

Soundwave sighed. “All right. According to my research, labor begins several hours after the water sac ruptures. After the meeting, come to the hospital.”

“I—” Megatron sighed. “Fine. I’ll see you then?”

“You will see me then.”

Four hours later, Soundwave squeezed Megatron’s hand so hard that the bones in her hand made cracking noises, and Rumble and Frenzy were born. 

A nurse smiled at Megatron as wiped down Soundwave’s forehead. “Are you her wife?” 

Soundwave smiled faintly at Megatron. “She’s family.” 

* * *

_Megatron looked directly at the men in the back of the crowd. “I do not make this accusation lightly. But what else do you call it when President Trion spends more on wars overseas than on our own infrastructure and schools? When the Functionalist Party institutes tax programs that give welfare to corporations and pennies to our working families? When our steelworkers and air traffic controllers face threats, not from their bosses, but from Trion, our union-buster in chief? Trion, who promised jobs and security, and has delivered neither! ” She slammed her fist into the side of the podium. Sounds of rage rose up from the assembled crowd. “Brothers and sisters, are we tired of sending our children to fight in pointless wars?”_

_A few shouts of “Yes!” answered her. Megatron shook her head._

_“I can’t hear you!”_

_“Yes!”_

_Megatron nodded. “Are we tired of the benefits that people bled for on the picket line being treated like bargaining chips?”_

_“Yes!”_

_“Are we tired of our children going to school on empty stomachs in buildings with lead paint?”_

_“Yes!”_

_“Are we tired of our hospitals and clinics being underfunded and shut down?”_

_“Yes!”_

_“Say it so they can hear you in Washington!”_

* * *

Megatron knew something was wrong the moment she saw Tarn take out their phone. It was difficult to read Tarn’s expression, but Megatron saw their eyes widen, and she knew something bad had happened. She finished her speech--at this point she could have done it in her sleep--and hurried off the community center stage. 

“What’s going on, Tarn?”

Tarn ran a hand through their short hair. “All right. From what we can tell, a car bomb went off outside the hospital.”

Megatron felt dizzy. There was a high pitched noise coming from somewhere--she couldn’t tell where. “ _Get down!” Impactor shoved her and her back hit the floor, the air rushing out of her lungs. In the moment it took for her to scramble back to her feet, her lover’s lifeblood was already soaking into her clothes._

“Listen, Megatron. There were a few injuries, but nothing fatal. Soundwave and the twins are all right.”

_Impactor gripped her wrist. “One of us is getting out of here, and it’s gonna be you.”_

“Megatron.” She shook her head, and Tarn stopped talking, clearing their throat. 

“Tarn, I swear I had a bottle of water in my bag--”

“Here.” Tarn pushed it into her hand, and Megatron took a gulp, and then another, squeezing her eyes shut. 

_“You won’t regret this. I promise, we’re going to succeed together.”_

_Soundwave nodded. “I would not be working with you if I believed that was not to be the case.”_

“All right. Tarn, can you tell me who was behind this?”

“At the moment? Vos and Kaon are pretty sure that it was MECH. Helex says several members have been threatening people we have running against Functionists. One person even tried something with a rifle.” They rolled their eyes. “So uncivilized.” 

Megatron's phone buzzed and she checked it, although she suspected what it would be.

_ <Is it sinking in yet?> _

A photo of the hospital, and then another one of Impactor's body. Megatron swallowed hard and deleted the messages.

“All right,” Megatron said again. “Tarn, tell me how long you can have a briefing ready for me.”

“Two hours.”

“Good. I want Helix or Tesarus guarding Soundwave and her kids 24/7. Whoever isn’t needs to keep an eye on the other candidates who MECH might be targeting with Vos and Kaon.”

“Of course, Megatron.”

Megatron patted Tarn on the shoulder. “Once Soundwave has recovered, I want the three of us to discuss our options with MECH. As for the other problem...”

* * *

It had been a long day. Vale nodded at the bartender. “Can I get two whisky sours?”

His partner, Rod, sat next to him. The bartender, a skinny guy with a friendly smile, started to mix their drinks. “Long day?”

Vale snorted. “You have no idea.”

Rod gave the bartender an odd look. “Hey, are you new?” 

“Yeah.” He slid their drinks across the counter. “Just moved here a month ago. You guys regulars?”

“We’ve been here for a year or so.” Rod shot him a dirty look, and he glared back at him. _Paranoid much?_ It wasn't like anyone was going to ask who they were working for. Or believe them if they told the truth.

Two hours later, Nickel walked out of the bar. He pulled out the phone Tarn had given him.

“It worked?”

“It worked.”

“Great. Helex is around the block, she’ll pick you up.”

Two days later, Vale and Rod were hospitalized for flu symptoms. One day later, they were both dead. 

* * *

It was getting close to midnight and Megatron’s mind was quiet for the first time in weeks. Her phone was quiet too. Since Nickel’s brief foray into bartending the week ago, she hadn’t gotten any death threats to her personal number. Highway 118 was silent--her car was the only car she had seen for at least thirty minutes. The stars stretched out above, bright and vast and endless. She rolled down the window and breathed in, remembering the nights she’d spent in the desert with her friends after shifts at the diner. They would stay out there for hours with a pizza they’d pooled their money to buy, day-old desserts from the diner’s revolving case, and any alcohol they could get their hands on. It was good. One of the few uncomplicated things from when she used to live here. 

Something was buzzing. Megatron reluctantly pulled over and dug around her briefcase until she found the prepaid cell phone that Tarn had given her. 

“Tarn?”

“Megatron.” Tarn sounded almost giddy. “I have someone here for you.”

“Is it--”

“Yes. Do you want to speak to him before we finish the job?”

Megatron pushed her car door open and climbed out, leaning on the hood of her car. “Go ahead.” 

“Hello? Who is this?”

“My name is Megatron. I think you know who I am.”

“Oh.” The voice on the other end sounded level, but Megatron was very good at recognizing fear. “What the hell do you want?”

“You were elected sheriff in 1983. Since then, you’ve used your position to target innocent people because they didn’t fit your definition of ‘American.’ Your group had people beaten and intimidated if they even thought about running for office, or starting a business. Last week, you threatened two individuals running for office and set off a bomb next to a hospital to intimidate another.”

The voice on the phone sounded almost bored. “If you’re planning on lecturing me, you could have spared me the theatrics with your thugs here.” Megatron heard Tarn hiss angrily. 

“Oh, I don’t lecture people like you. But I know you’re law enforcement, so I thought it was only fitting to give you an explanation for what’s about to happen.” 

The fear was back in his voice. “I’m sorry?”

“Also, I wanted to tell you one more thing. You’re going to die. And when you do, when my ‘thug’ puts a bullet in your head, I want you to be thinking this. Everything you did--everything you fought for, everything you believed in--it was all for nothing.”

She heard the man suck in a shaky breath. “I--I can get my people to back off.” Megatron snorted. “Seriously! They’ll never bother you again.”

“Not good enough.”

“I have money.”

“Please.”

“Just--just tell me what you want. Anything. I’ll do anything.”

Megatron shrugged. “All right. Beg.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Beg for my forgiveness.”

“I--” She could hear frustration in his voice for a moment, and smiled. “Please. Please, spare my life.”

“Harder.” 

“Please! I don’t want to die, I’m not ready, I don’t want to die--”

“All right. Give the phone to my associate.”

The man sobbed hysterically. “Thank you, thank you, I swear you won’t be sorry--”

Megatron heard Tarn’s voice. “What do you want us to do?”

“Put me on speaker.”

“Done.”

“Good. Kill him.” There was a shriek of rage, some fumbling, and then a single gunshot. “Well done, Tarn.” Megatron hung up and crushed the burner phone.

* * *

_The crowd roared, and Megatron could feel it in her bones. She raised her hands again, and once again the crowd fell silent. “When you feel this way, there are three questions you should ask Trion and the other people in Washington.” Megatron raised one finger. “Question one: in whose interests do you exercise power?” Two fingers. “Question two: to whom are you held accountable? And question three...” She paused before raising the third finger. The anticipation in the air reminded her of the air before a thunderstorm. “Question three is this. How do we get rid of you?”_

_The noise rose up from the crowd like a wave, and Megatron soaked it in. She looked over at Soundwave, who was carrying her two infants in a twin baby carrier, and knew instinctively that they were both thinking the same thing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the road Megatron was on for the phone call, if you want a visual reference  
> https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2018/03/is-this-the-loneliest-road-in-texas/  
> I drew a lot on this specific scene from Breaking Bad for the last scene and Gus Fring's character in general for Megatron in this fic.  
> https://youtu.be/QSQIdmXufAA  
> Also, the quote Megatron ends her speech on is actually from Transformers--specifically IDW's Chaos Theory Part II. While Orion Pax is the one who says it, he attributes it to Megatron, and I have not stopped thinking about it ever since I read it. Are you guys registered to vote? Please register to vote.  
> https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Chaos_Theory_Part_2


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Megatron wins an election, makes alliances, and meets someone important

The night that Megatron was elected, she didn’t get back to her house until nearly five in the morning. The sun was beginning to rise as she collapsed on the couch in her bedroom and turned on the television. The DJD had camped out in her living room and kitchen, and Soundwave, who had taken the bed, was nursing Rumble. Frenzy slept on the bed next to her. Ravage jumped up onto Megatron’s stomach and turned around three times before curling into a ball. Megatron stroked him absently.

“We won, Soundwave.” 

“Affirmative.” 

“You know I couldn’t have done this without you, right?”

“Yes.”

Megatron half-watched the election coverage on the television. Her brain felt comfortably foggy, a product of drinks from two different victory parties. The pundits were going on about what control of the House would mean for the Solidarity Party. Apparently this election cycle had seen a number of incumbents turned out, including a long-time moderate in Virginia. His replacement, a tall curvy woman with a purple pantsuit, waved from the stage. Soundwave made a noise in her throat. 

“No.”

“You need allies. She’s also in the Solidarity Party.”

“She worked for the CIA!”

Soundwave sighed. “Megatron, I know you don’t want to hear this but from my perspective, Shockwave is perfect. She motivated high voter turnout, and brought in impressive donation numbers. Additionally, she is willing to meet with you once you both arrive in Washington.”

Megatron tried to sit up without jostling Ravage, failed, and sank back down onto the couch. “You already spoke to her without my express orders?”

“Affirmative.”

“Soundwave I—”

“You need allies. No one goes to war alone.”

Megatron snorted. “What do you know about war?”

Soundwave didn’t take the bait. “It is an expression. I have not been to war. I have, however, worked in Washington for a decade. You are taking that meeting.”

“I don’t see why--”

Soundwave put her infant daughter on the bed and fixed Megatron with a direct stare. “Do you want to know why the Solidarity Party has barely passed a bill in ten years? Because the Functionist party members do not care about moral purity, they care about brutalizing the people who they despise. Do you think President Trion cares that Sentinel is from a family of liberals? No. Because they want the same thing. Now, I know for a fact that Shockwave ran on a platform that was like yours, in the same party as you. And I know that you two can do more as allies than you can as rivals. So what do you think is the smarter decision? Being alone with a moral victory, or being with an ally and having the bulk of your legislative agenda passed?”

Megatron tried to sit up again. Ravage hissed, and she reluctantly slid back down. “Are you being a fixer right now, Soundwave? Because I’m not some idiot who got recorded having phone sex. This is what I’ve worked for. I fought for this.”

“So did I.” Soundwave put her hand on her child’s head. “You were not the one who had her infant children threatened. We are in this together, Megatron.”

Megatron stared at Rumble and Frenzy, and then looked back at Soundwave. “You’re right.”

“I know I’m right.” 

“When is Shockwave available?”

“I will have three dates for you ready tomorrow.”

The reporter on the television was talking about the Functionist Party’s wins now. Megatron was about to turn it off, but then she saw the woman she’d met at a party back…she couldn’t remember how many years ago. She was wearing a suit instead of a formal military uniform, but her serious expression and rigid posture were the same. 

“That is Optimus Prime. She was elected to Congress tonight as well.” Soundwave told her. 

“Hmph.”

“There are, however, rumors that she’s uncomfortable with the current positions the Functionist party is pursuing.”

Megatron snorted. “Please. Her chief of staff is an ex-cop, her aunt did everything but announce that she was her chosen successor, and Trion slapped a medal on her for breaking military protocol. She’s Sentinel Prime with a coat of centrist paint to appeal to liberal voters.” She scooted Ravage slightly so she could glare at Soundwave. “You can make me meet with the CIA person but I’m never, ever, having a sit-down meeting with someone like Prime.”

Soundwave looked almost offended. “I am pragmatist, but not to that degree.”

* * *

“Hello, is this seat taken?”

Megatron looked up from her laptop to see Optimus Prime standing in front of her with a cup of coffee and an apple on a tray. She groaned internally. “No, feel free to sit down.”

“Thank you.” She gave Megatron the same smile that she had given her the night she had won the medal of honor. It was polite but did not quite reach her eyes. Megatron wondered absently if anyone had actually seen her smile. “It is nice to see someone who I actually know. People can be cliquish here.”

“Mm-hm.” Megatron did not look up from her screen. 

“Listen, I know we didn’t get off to the best start. That whole argument yesterday—I don’t know where that came from. I’m not naturally an argumentative person. And just because we’re in different parties, there’s no reason for us to not get along. Bipartisanship is important. I was thinking that we could work together on an infrastructure bill. There’s one coming up in about a month that we could both attach our names too, if you’re interested.”

Megatron snorted. “Listen, I’m trying to work. If you’re just going to ramble on about whatever this is about, there are plenty of empty tables you could sit at. 

The scandalized expression on Optimus’s face was almost hilarious. “I—excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“Congresswoman, I don’t know what you’ve heard but—”

Megatron closed her laptop. “Why don’t we speed this up. Here’s what I know. You’re running for president. Maybe you don’t know it yet, but that’s the inevitable trajectory that auntie dearest has you on. Because hard-line quasi-fascist rhetoric is going out of style as it becomes obvious that imperial expansion costs way more than our esteemed president promised it would be, you’re branding yourself as more of a peacemaker. Someone who can ‘heal our divided nation.’ Am I wrong?”

“I’m not—” Optimus sat up straighter. Her face was calm, but Megatron could sense rage lurking just under the surface. She felt better. The façade was gone now, and she could deal much more easily with this version of the golden all-American hero. “Listen, Megatron. I might be close with my aunt, but my politics are my own. There is a great deal about the Functionist party that I do not agree with.”

“And yet you are still a member.”

“I’m sure you understand that politics are complicated.”

“You and I have a very different understanding of the concept of ‘complicated,’ Prime.”

“Cong-- Megatron, it isn’t necessary for us to be enemies. I think we could achieve a great deal more if we worked together.”

“I think I could achieve a great deal more if you let me get back to work.”

“Are you seriously—” Optimus closed her eyes and sighed, her martyred expression almost funny. “All right, fine. But don’t ever say I didn’t try.”

Megatron opened her laptop back up. “All right. If that’s the kind of thing you care about.”

* * *

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in opposition to the Infrastructure Renewal Act. This legislation is ineffective to the point of being actively dangerous, and I find my colleague from New York’s insistence that it is a necessity equally disturbing.” Megatron looked up from the podium and met Prime’s eyes. She nodded, and the other woman nodded back, and Megatron felt a twinge of satisfaction. It was nice to know that she was on the same page with someone. 

Miles away, in an apartment near Stanford, a college student named Starscream would watch Megatron’s speech. She would think _I want that_ , without knowing if the power or the woman was what she wanted. 

* * *

Years passed. Megatron was re-elected twice, first as a congresswoman and then as a senator. She split her time between Texas and Washington DC, got through nights on a mix of scotch and bad TV, and fought for her policy agenda. When things got too quiet, she would find a woman far enough away from Washington to not care about who she was. 

The meeting with Terminus that would change everything began like every other one. 

“I’m sure you’re all wondering why I’ve called you here today.” Terminus looked around the bland hotel conference room. “You’re probably wondering why this couldn’t have just been a phone conversation. Well, I have some pretty big news. Nightbird?”

Nightbird switched on a slideshow presentation. “All right. So the most recent polls have showed some pretty clear trends. Number one: people are getting more and more lukewarm on Trion.”

Megatron snorted. “She just got reelected.”

“Lukewarm means she got elected by a lower margin of approval than you’d expect from a wartime incumbent. Also, the Functionists lost seats in both the House and the Senate. This is all old news, of course. But here is what is interesting.” He clicked to the next slide, showing four tri-colored maps of the United States. “Okay, here are the results from the last two Senate and House elections. Now if you look closer…” he zoomed in. “What do you notice?”

Soundwave cleared her throat. “The Liberty Party.”

“That’s right.” Nightbird pointed at the map. “A large number of former leaders in the Liberty Party have either retired or gotten voted out of office, and unlike the other two parties, they don’t have replacements. The Liberty Party has been shrinking for years now. And that has given us an opportunity to retake the Senate.”

Megatron stared at the map, the pieces clicking together in her head. “Nightbird, is this for real?”

“Terminus cleared his throat. “Look, I’m not saying that this would be easy. But with the team our party has assembled, I feel better about this than I have in years.” 

Shockwave folded her hands on the table. “Okay. Walk us through your plan, step by step.”

Soundwave was quiet after the meeting as they watched Rumble and Frenzy try to kill each each other in the hotel pool. “What do you think?” Megatron asked.

“I think it’s doable.” 

“But…”

“But we need more people. I can split my time between managing the party and your campaign, but I will do a subpar job with both. We cannot afford a subpar job.”

Megatron sighed. “I know you’re right, but I hate the hiring process.”

“Suggestion: get over it.”

Megatron gave Soundwave a sideways glance, wondering if she should be offended. 

* * *

The plan was to hire a serious political professional. And then Starscream flounced into her office and that plan immediately went out the window. Soundwave had given her a look when Megatron insisted on hiring her, but Megatron genuinely believed that her motivations were at least seventy percent practical. Perhaps sixty. It was true that Starscream was much younger than her and very pretty, which Megatron would grudgingly admit was probably more appealing to her than it should have been, but she was also remarkably talented and had an impressive resume. And she needed someone who could talk to rich people. 

Megatron generally chose soft, friendly, quiet people for her one-night stands. And Starscream was none of those things. She was sharp and brittle and seemed to have a perpetual chip on her shoulder. And of course, even ignoring her trainwreck of a personality, there was the tiny problem of them both being involved in politics, which broke one of Megatron’s rules about relationships.

Megatron had gone over the reasons why pursuing Starscream was a bad idea multiple times, underlining them in metaphorical red ink, and yet she still found her gaze drifting over to Starscream’s lips in campaign meetings. They would shout at each other over something inane that Starscream had suggested and then Megatron’s brain would inform her that they were only a few feet apart and she could smell the girl’s shampoo. Or, worse still, Starscream would invade her thoughts whenever she had a few moments to close her eyes. She found herself wondering what Starscream would sound like when she moaned. If she could make her cry. If Starscream would push back against her hands when she held her down, or if she would go limp and just look up at her. 

It was foolish. She had bigger things to think about than Starscream. Maybe it was just that it had been so long since she had wanted something other than victory or vengeance. 

Megatron told herself that she wasn’t going to do anything about...whatever her feelings were. But then Starscream showed up at the shooting range behind her house, and they started arguing, and then she was holding Starscream in her arms, and everything felt heightened, like the moment before lightning split the sky. 

_“You’re awfully sentimental for a so-called pragmatist.”_

_“Everyone indulges in a few things.”_

_“You indulge in antique weapons?”_

_“And good liquor.”_

_“Anything else?”_

_Beautiful things,_ Megatron wanted to say. _You_.

* * *

“You are late.” Soundwave gave Megatron a disapproving look.

Megatron cleared her throat. “Important business.”

She cringed internally when she heard a familiar shrill voice in the doorway behind her. “Hey, I’m here. What did I miss?” Soundwave looked at Starscream for a long moment, and then back at her boss. Even though she outranked Soundwave, Megatron suddenly felt like she was a teenager with her first girlfriend, sneaking around behind her mother’s back. Soundwave removed her dark blue silk scarf and handed it to Starscream. “I suggest you put this on.” 

“Why the hell would I--” Starscream reached up and touched her throat, recognition flashing across her face. “Oh goddamn it.” She grabbed the scarf and tied it around her neck, glaring at Megatron. Megatron knew she should feel guilty but she couldn’t fight down a burst of possessiveness. Starscream was hers, after all, and she wanted as many people to know it as possible. “Megatron, Tarn and Shockwave called from DC.”

Megatron cleared her throat, looking away from Starscream. “What’s the news?”

Soundwave’s expression didn’t change, but Megatron detected a glimmer of pride in her dark eyes. “It is what we hoped.”

Megatron clapped Soundwave on the shoulder and took the phone. “All right. You and I need to talk with them about our next steps.”

“Excuse me?” Starscream put her hands on her hips. “Five minutes ago, you were telling me you wanted me on your team and now you’re shutting me out of meetings?”

“Oh calm down.”

“I will do no such— ”

“I need you to go out and warm up the crowd.”

“Well, you’re a—oh.” Starscream’s expression changed from fury to excitement, although she worked to hide it. “All right.”

“You really do have to work on your temper, princess.” 

“Fuck off.” Starscream adjusted her suit lapels, checked her reflection in her compact mirror, and then bounded out on stage. Megatron watched her beaming and waving at the crowd for a moment and then turned back to Soundwave. 

“Suggestion--” 

“I know, I know.” Megatron took the phone. “Come on.” They turned towards the small room off from the convention center. 

* * *

A short while later, they returned to the wings. Starscream was still speaking onstage. 

“President Trion thought the American people would stand for deception.” The crowd booed. “She thought the American people would not raise their heads and see what is really going on in this country. But she was wrong, wasn’t she?” More noise, this time in the affirmative. “And now, the Solidarity Party has triumphed. We control a majority of both the House and the Senate, and we will use that power for you, brothers and sisters!”

“Observation: she is good.”

Megatron gave Soundwave a sideways glance. “Don’t let her hear that. Her head won’t fit through the door.”

“Obviously.”

Starscream glanced over at the wings, nodding slightly when she saw Megatron. 

“All right, enough from me. It’s time to hear from the person who has made this progress possible—now in her second term, thanks to your hard work and your votes—Megatron, come on out here!”

The crowd roared so loudly as she stepped out that Megatron could feel the vibrations in the stage. Starscream walked to meet her and Megatron pulled her in for a quick embrace-handshake combination. Starscream’s lips brushed her ear. “I fluffed ‘em. You fuck ‘em.”

Megatron could barely resist rolling her eyes, even though she knew how it would look onstage. 

**Author's Note:**

> Do you ever start off with a quick one-shot and then it grows into a fucking white whale that takes you an eternity to finish? That's what this baby is.


End file.
